Talking with Nick after Ava

[makesthings]

Someday Sam will remember to stop working when the sun comes up, but last night wasn't one of those nights.

He opened the door from his workroom and found Milliways and just went up to that room, where he remembered to take off his boots and set the wards before falling asleep.

His dreams were nice, being in the room made him think of Kait and he kept reaching out for her in his sleep.

Comments

[wordofa_sayre]

"Don't sell yourself short, old chap," Nick tells him. "You're good at all kinds of things."

[makesthings]

Sam shrugs and drinks some of his tea,

"What I'm good at now is helping the Old Kingdom, that's enough."

[wordofa_sayre]

"Quite."

He takes a swallow of tea, then sets the cup absently aside on the nearest surface and drums his fingers on the arm of the chair.

[makesthings]

"What is it, Nick?"

Nick must have had some reason more for wanting to talk.

[wordofa_sayre]

"Nothing."








"Only... I don't suppose you've seen Ava since the other night?"

[makesthings]

"I have, just to see how she was doing after that singing magic. Why?"

He won't mention that he apologized or mentioned Nick yet, that could end badly.

[wordofa_sayre]

"Just that I was wondering the same. How she was doing, after... all that."

[makesthings]

"She seemed okay, it was a powerful piece of magic."

[wordofa_sayre]

"I guess."

He shrugs.

"You'd know more about that than I would."

[makesthings]

"I don't know about that kind of magic. I've never seen it before. It seemed like a spell that was captured in that machine, but it just disappeared. She asked about how you were doing,"

This is only a little change of what happened, Ava asked what was wrong with Nick, but it will work for now.

[wordofa_sayre]

"Did she."

[makesthings]

"Yes, she did," It's not a lie, he's just helping them along.

[wordofa_sayre]

"I can't imagine why," Nick says, sourly.

"Unless she thinks that I'm such a child I can't look after myself."

[makesthings]

"She saw how you handled yourself at the end of everything here. I'm sure she doesn't think that,"

He's not completely sure of that as he doesn't really understand Ava, but it's Nick. What Nick knows, he knows, the problem is when he gets into things he doesn't know.

[wordofa_sayre]

"... you mean she saw how I was paralyzed and unable to do a bloody thing to help. Just like Lirael did, for that matter."

Nick sighs and scrubs a hand over his mouth, looking glum.

"Bloody awful impression I make when it counts."

[makesthings]

"You were fighting the Destroyer as much as I was. Lirael's, I don't know, she's even harder to understand than Ava. Ava just uses references to modern things and has all these odd expectations. Lirael's Abhorsen-in-Waiting. I miss Kait,"

Sam respects Lirael, but she intimidates him, since he doesn't think she thinks that much of him.

[wordofa_sayre]

He shrugs, and focuses on the new topic at hand.

"How is Kait, anyway? Been a while since you've mentioned her."

[makesthings]

"I don't know. I haven't had a letter from her in months, but she asked for space to heal and figure out what she needs,"

So he's leaving her alone and working even harder.

[wordofa_sayre]

"... sorry, old chap."

[makesthings]

"Thanks, I'll be fine," It's how things are.

[wordofa_sayre]

"'Course you will."

He starts to get to his feet.

"Suppose I ought to get back. See if I can move Uncle Edward along any faster."

[makesthings]

"Good luck and I hope it won't be too long before I see you in the Old Kingdom."

[wordofa_sayre]

Nick gives him a cheerful grin.

"Count on it."